Escalating de-escalation in breast cancer treatment

Efforts have continually been made to de-escalate treatment for breast cancer, with the goal of balancing oncologic outcomes with complications and patient quality of life. In the early 2000s, two landmark studies firmly established that conservative treatment approaches for breast cancer can be safe and effective. More recently, neoadjuvant chemotherapy has gained momentum as a potential standard of care for breast cancer. An important question has thus arisen: Can neoadjuvant approaches themselves be de-escalated to further minimize adverse treatment effects while maintaining oncological outcomes? In this editorial, we look at the available evidence and assess current trends in treatment de-escalation for women with breast cancer.

Automated summary

Efforts have been made to reduce the intensity of treatment for breast cancer in order to balance treatment outcomes and patient quality of life. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has gained popularity as a standard treatment for breast cancer. It is important to explore if the intensity of neoadjuvant approaches can be decreased while maintaining treatment outcomes. This editorial examines the available evidence and current trends in treatment de-escalation for women with breast cancer.